Angel Sealiah (No. 45): regency, psalm, symbolism and reading

Who is Sealiah, angel no. 45?

Sealiah is the forty-fifth angel of the classical list and the fifth of the choir of the Virtues. He is also written Saeliah. Tradition makes him the angel of support when one stumbles: the one who holds back before the fall and helps one set off again.

His period, at the end of October, is when the days shorten quickly, which has given his image a note of perseverance.

Sealiah bears the number 45 in the list of the 72 angels of the Shem HaMephorash, which Kabbalistic tradition draws from three verses of Exodus (14:19 to 21). Everything that follows is presented according to the Kabbalistic and esoteric tradition. For the origin of the system, read our introduction to the 72 angels.

Traditional benchmarks

Dates follow the most common calendar (angel no. 1 reigns from 21 to 25 March, then five days per angel over 365 days); sources sometimes shift by a few days, and leap years are handled differently: see how the guardian angel is calculated. According to many authors, the hour is counted in local solar time.

The verse and the name

The verse retained says: “When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,’ your love, Lord, supported me.” The image is that of a walker who slips and is held back. Psalm 94 is an appeal for divine justice against those who oppress; this verse is its moment of personal comfort.

This phrase has remained famous because it expresses a universal experience: the precise moment when one fears falling and someone, or something, holds us back. Sealiah is the angel of that catch.

The name is formed, according to tradition, from the Hebrew letter triplet סאל (Samekh, Aleph, Lamed) followed by the ending Yod and He (Yah, a name of God). Spellings vary (Saeliah) according to transliteration. Psalm 94 is Psalm 93 in the Vulgate; verse 18 carries the same number in most Bibles. The verse lists also differ slightly from one author to another.

What tradition associates with Sealiah

Among Sealiah's common attributions:

• Support in moments of fragility, before the fall.
• Momentum: motivation, the desire to set off again after a pause.
• Growth, and the vitality of nature in some older lists that link him to plants.
• Overcoming behaviours that harm oneself, in recent lists.

The last theme is a modern reading. It in no way replaces the help of a professional: harmful behaviours are worked on with medical or psychological support.

A reading for today

In everyday life, the image of a slipping foot speaks to many people: a moment of tiredness, discouragement, or uncertainty about the future. Specialists then recommend leaning on one's relationships (friends, family, colleagues) and asking for support early.

Sealiah can serve as a symbolic reminder of this step: not to stay alone with what is wavering.

Its period of the year and its sign

Sealiah's period, 27 to 31 October, falls in autumn (northern hemisphere, within the framework of the original calendar). It roughly covers the sign of Scorpio. In the table of the 36 decans, each ten-day span receives two angels: Sealiah shares his with Ariel (no. 46).

In the choir of the Virtues

In the writings of Pseudo-Dionysius (around 500), the Virtues belong to the second triad; the word comes from the Greek dynameis, “forces”. Tradition sees in them the angels of the strength of the soul and of the “signs”. In the list of 72, this choir comprises angels 41 to 48, and follows that of the Powers (33 to 40), whereas Dionysius reverses the two.

Sealiah is the fifth angel of the Virtues. In this choir of force in action, he represents a gentle energy, the kind that lifts up rather than imposes.

To place Sealiah in the sequence of angels, here are his immediate neighbours: Yelahiah (no. 44) before him and Ariel (no. 46) after him. The choir is presented in detail on the page Choir of the Virtues.

A gentle practice with Sealiah

An exercise for identifying your supports, lasting ten minutes:

1. Note what makes you “stumble” at the moment: a burden, a doubt, a tiredness.
2. For each point, write down a person or a resource you could turn to.
3. Read verse 18 of Psalm 94, thinking of these supports.
4. Get in touch this week with one of these people.

This exercise needs only a sheet of paper.

What to keep in mind

This system is symbolic, not an established fact. Nothing shows that a particular angel corresponds to your date of birth, and no one can promise you protection or any event. Read these pages as a bestiary: for the images and the reflection they prompt.

The Catholic Church does not recognise this system: it retains only the three archangels named in Scripture, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. Believers of all faiths nevertheless find in the psalms a text for prayer.

If you are having thoughts of harming yourself, the 3114 helpline in France (suicide prevention) answers free of charge, day and night; in an emergency, call 15, 17 or 112 (the emergency number throughout the European Union). Speak to your doctor as well.

See also the guide to the 72 angels and the guide to the archangels.

Frequently asked questions

Also read

The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to Guide to the 72 guardian angels.